Today’s scripture: John 12:20-26
Over the past few weeks I’ve been hearing a lot of messages on predestination and election. I know that there is a ton of theological and scriptural support for this, but there has always been somethin about it that has set my soul on edge. I’m sure several people that read this will probably set me straight and that fine I enjoy reading different ideas. I am a practical person, one that lives a practical life. I don’t claim to know the mind of God but I do believe that he calls, leads and directs His people. This leads to election who are His people? If you read the Bible and I’m sure you do His people is Israel, plain and simple. This is the group of people the chose to tell the world about Himself through. Yet in today’s scripture we meet some Greeks that want to see Jesus. Not only do they want to see Him but it alludes that they are there to worship God as much as gentiles were allowed to.
How amazing it is that Jesus the chosen one of the Jews opened His friendship up to those outside. We see this often in His ministry healing a woman’s daughter even though she was a “dog”, and healing the Roman officials servant. These people outside of the faith of the Hebrews often show even more faith even than the disciples of Christ. Which brings me back to who is chosen and who is elect?
Abraham was called chosen out all the people of prehistoric history to be the father of a great nation, a people lead by God. This people was to be the light of the nations and bring all people back to God. To me election is a system through which God works. He brings redemption of the world through the system of people. The means of this redemption was through the shadows of sacrifice and coverings of blood. Which ultimately found its fulfillment in the sheding of the blood of the one Sent from Him, Jesus His own Son. From this the election is Christ Himself and the redemed are those that come to Him. The practicality of it all I that God works with people. He worked with Abraham to bring a nation to bring the Light to all nation.
God calls all people to Him. Some of us are too distracted to hear and actually follow. Jesus says that there is only one unforgivable sin, the greiving of the Spirit. Which makes me wonder even more what grieves God? That can only be not paying attention, neglection, forgetting. Not only does this grieve but it upsets. When I neglect, and fail to pay attention to my wife and child it really upsets them. I can justify it in a number of ways but they are upset because I failed to listen. The relationship is an image of God, our friendships, marriages, families all give a glimpse of God’s relationship to us. God wants all humans to return to Him and to do so he elected Christ Jesus to provide the way and the church. It is christ who is the chosen, and the elect we live through him by responding and listening to His Spirit.
The Greeks felt able to approach because Jesus chose as a Disciple with a Greek name. We can approach Jesus as well because through Him all can approach God.
Discussion
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